PALM BEACH PAST AND PRESENT: The Evolution of Ride ’N Drives at the Florida Auction
April 7, 2023
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Barrett-Jackson’s first Palm Beach Auction was held in 2003 at the South Florida Fairgrounds, achieving significant sales and giving our East Coast fans a chance to experience what many had come to love at the company’s flagship Scottsdale Auction in Arizona. Upon its return to Florida in 2004, the auction house nearly doubled its sales, cementing Palm Beach as its second home. One of the aspects beyond the auction block contributing to the second year’s success was the addition of a unique “Ride ’N Drive” experience. As Barrett-Jackson celebrates 20 years in Palm Beach in April, let’s examine how this adrenalin-pumping attraction has evolved.
In April 2003 at the New York Auto Show, Chrysler debuted the 2005 Chrysler 300, a large rear-wheel-drive American sedan fitted with a HEMI engine and an industry-first Multi-Displacement System to improve the HEMI’s fuel efficiency. Production started in January 2004 for the 2005 model year. By April 2004, the public could test drive the car during Barrett-Jackson’s second annual Palm Beach Auction, which was sponsored in part by Chrysler.
One of the allures of this first Ride ’N Drive offered in Palm Beach was the early access to that new Chrysler 300 – a vehicle incredibly powerful for its time with 340 horsepower, as well as the ability to seamlessly turn off the fuel consumption in four cylinders of the 5.7-liter HEMI engine when V8 power was not needed.
Chrysler, now a subsidiary of Stellantis North America, has always been intertwined with Dodge, which remains a valued Barrett-Jackson sponsor. While Chrysler no longer offers Ride ’N Drives at Barrett-Jackson, Dodge picked up the torch by providing Thrill Rides, giving guests the opportunity to ride shotgun with a professional driver for a thrilling spin around the track – originally in the Viper, and now in the Charger and Challenger. The coupe and sedan, scheduled to be discontinued at the end of the 2023 model year, will be replaced with the electric Charger Daytona SRT. This makes the Palm Beach Auction one of the few remaining opportunities to experience a Thrill Ride in Dodge’s gas-powered American muscle cars.
From 2004 to present, the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track in Palm Beach has grown to include other automakers, with Toyota offering breathtaking Thrill Rides in their Supra, and Ford and Chevrolet providing exciting Hot Laps in the Mustang and Corvette, respectively.
Join Barrett-Jackson in Palm Beach, April 13-15, at the South Florida Fairgrounds for an adrenalin-pumping ride in one of the latest performance vehicles offered by top automotive manufacturers. You’ll be able to find more information on the exhilarating experiences at each auto manufacturer’s display in the Sponsor Pavilion – or just follow the unmistakable sounds of screeching tires and roaring engines to the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track, located on the southern half of the auction site, and buckle up for a ride you won’t soon forget!